The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1887-09-29

their ample and triple folds the lifa
and liberty of the people; and vet
there is no agency more potent in do.
veloping the resources of the great
West directly and of the Nation Ind.
rectly, than these same much abused
railroads. [ I'M not an apologist Of
the evils of massed capital. | would
simply point out and appreciate the
good there is in it. In the case Of
railroads again l think it a great
wrong upon the people that many Of
our more influential public men, in.
Guiding Governors, Judges, and mem.
bers Of State and National legislatures,
make themselves daily a party to tacit
bribery in accepting free passes wher.
ever they go. I think it a great evil
that legislation can be bought and
controlled by corporate power.
think it a sad commentary upon the
integrity of mankind that even the
judicial ermine may become bedrag-
gled by a contact with the %corruptine
influences of money. [ think it wrong
that railroad authorities should persist
in attempting to render unpopular and
nugatory all legislation intended to
correct abuses. 7 think such persist
ence will ultimately recoil disastrouslv
upon private railroad interests, be.
cause of it's manifest tendency to foster
a growing public sentiment in favor
Of the governments taking control of
railroads, telegraph wires and water
transportation. Without stopping
here to comment upon the feasibility
or the ACCESSIBILITY of such a policy, or
to point out obstacles in the way of its
consumation, [ may remark that in
nearly all civilized countries of the
world, railroads and telegraph wires
are owned and controlled by the gov
eminent. [ may add that were this
the case in our country, transportation
and telegraph service would be i'm
mensely cheapened, labor in these de-
partments would receive steady and
full reward, and the National income
would be UNNECESSARILY increased,
producing a sun which, when added
to that of other sources of revenue,
would be amply sufficient to meet all
the needs of the government, National,
State, county and municipal so that,
not one cent need be levied and COL
lected in this broad land, as taxes.
l repeat that I do not apologize for
the evils of corporate capital. | simply
wish to regard them in their true per-
spective. Whatever we may think of
these evils, one important fact still
confronts us-there is not a man of a
thousand that has ever received from
them a conscious injury, or anything
save a constant and continued benefit.
In the case of railroads again: Our
through lines carry a thousand pounds
of meal or meat a thousand miles for
8 or 9 cents, thus affording cheap food
for the Eastern laborer, and cheap
transportion and a market for the
Western farmer. By carrying food
cheaply they confer incalculable bene-
fits upon the toiling millions and the
lone man of a thousand that complains
of discriminating rates" can really
find in the evil complained of only a
comparatively less good.
To capital is the laborer indebted
for a home and a livelihood, while he
lives, and often times to a sepulcher
when he is dead, without money
and without price. Capital furnishes
him with healthful sanitary conditions
1t affords him and his children free
parks, free libraries, and free schools.
1t gives to him and his the protection
of law. For the laborer, as well as
for himself, the capitalist beautl1les
and adorns the country in times OF
peace and supplies the means OF de-
fence in time of war.
Aggregated capital brings cheap.
ened production, and cheapened pro.
duction means cheaper food and cloth,
ing for the million. Capital massed
in machinery has made possible the
existence of countless myriads OF nu-
man beings that could not otherwise
have been. 1t has rendered lie
luxurious and easy that otherwise
would have been barely tolerable. IL
has rendered life tolerable that other
wise would have been miserable.
John Stuart Hill says: The produce
of the world could not attain anything
approaching to its present amount,
nor support anything approaching "
the present number of its inhabitants,
except on two conditions abunoal
and costly machinery, buildings anu